Hashim Amla’s near double-century and a return-to-form hundred from AB de Villiers helped South Africa set Australia a near-impossible 632 for a win in the Perth Test match
We’ll bring you the live scores and commentary of the action throughout the third Test match, with the fourth day starting at 1:30 pm AEDT (10:30am local) on December 3.
The day belonged to the South African batsmen yet again, scoring 339 runs in the near 74 overs they faced with Amla unfortunate to miss out on a deserved 200, caught superbly by Mitchell Johnson on his follow-through for 196.
De Villiers made a 184-ball 169 before a bid to push the score saw him edge one behind.
By the time Dean Elgar had become the 38th batsman in the history of Test cricket to get a pair on debut and Faf du Plessis had made a first sub-half-century Test score (halving his Test average to just 146.5), South Africa were well and truly on their way to an invincible position.
Australia, on their part had very few positives to take away from the third day’s play.
Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson shared the 10 wickets to fall but most of those went down when the visitors tried to accelerate towards the end of their innings. Johnson did bowl with venom in his spells later in the day, in an encouraging sign. Elgar copped the most attention during his short-lived stay.
More vitally, the home team will be happy with their openers Dave Warner and Ed Cowan surviving a spell of 13 overs without getting separated. Australia had lost two wickets in a similar situation in the first innings.
What will enthuse the team and the fans alike is the fact that despite the magnitude of the task – surviving around 180 further overs – there were no demons on the pitch even with the potentially dangerous new ball late on the third day.
With Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey in the kind of form they are down the order and given Shane Watson’s general appetite for runs, Australia will not count themselves out, not just yet anyway. Ponting’s final Test innings is sure to be memorable.
In scrapping together statistics of hope, the good news is that Australia have batted more for than 180 overs in an innings, a mountainous task in itself, on two other occasions in the last four years.
Since January 2008, Australia have also survived more than 150 overs, nine times, raising the Aussie hopes further.
But first things first and Australia need to bat out the fourth day with as less a loss of personnel as possible. As mentioned elsewhere, the track may not offer too much for the bowlers but there is every chance that the pitch may progressively become wearier and hence two-paced and more treacherous as the game progresses.
We will bring you the coverage throughout the game from the WACA in Perth and hope to receive your opinions as the action unfolds.
Keep updated by reviewing the comments below.
Jason Cave
Guest
I wonder, was the 3rd Australia-South Africa Test in Perth not only the decider, but could it also be said, an Ashes selection trial as well? After all, how else would you explain the Australian selectors picking an all-new pace attack, completely different to the bowling attacks that played in Brisbane & Adelaide respectively? It will be interesting to see who the Australian selectors have in mind for the no.3 spot in the batting line-up, now that Ricky Ponting has retired. I think we will have a much clearer idea who will be going to England when the Australian selectors name the squad for the Test tour of India. (Although could someone explain to me why Australia is playing in India, prior to possibly the most important Ashes tour since1989-and Michael Clarke's toughest assignment as Australian skipper?)
Yeah the Pietersen, Peterson gets me every time. Maybe in rugby I should just say JP, and in cricket, robbie and alviro.
Neuen
Roar Rookie
Inexperience is what cost the series for the Australian team. They will learn it is test cricket and its not how you start the match but finish it that count. South Africa got some experience customers and they knew this simple concept very well. Hope its a lesson for Clarke and the quest forward to rebuilding the Australian team. Man of the series. Don't know why they always just go for the one who scored the most runs everytime. It shows that they did not really bother to weigh up the part everyone has played. The series were turned by two moments of gutsy batting by Faf. He was responsible for South Africa going in all square into the last test where they knew the pitch will suite them perfectly with their attack. Faf again helped the go from 75 for 6 to 225 all out. Australia got bowled out for cheaper and SA noticed something about the pitch and was probably discussed before they started their 2nd innings. They kept on moving across their stumps in the knowledge that the bounce will almost certainly negate the lbw. Suddenly the Aussie bowlers did not know where to bowl and they flogged it at a pace trying to get this game done before day 5 as showers were forecast. Everyone came to the party and they delivered the knock out punch.
dansa
Guest
The nice thing about De Villiers, Faf and JP are that they will definitely score quickly ... Bigger question is grooming replacements for Smith and Kallis, so I think we need to start investing there
dansa
Guest
I think we need the variety and we will need this on turning/slower pitches. A 4 seam attack on green pitches yes, but not on the sub continent as much. Problem we have is someone with control as well as being able to cause real issues. Remember the last draws against England at home in SA? Peterson did get Ponting and Clarke today, two reasonably key wickets, so I'd stick with him for now ... De Lange is a great find but I'd keep him for greener pitches PS: It's Petersen, not Pietersen, the latter is obviously english ... ;)
DanI think our team selection is almost there now. Smith Pietersen Amla Kallis De villiers Du Plessis Duminy Philander Steyn Morkel It is just that last position, do we go with a spinner (which we don't really have) or do we try De Lange?
Johnno
Guest
Who even watches a current affair any more , that they are so desperate , 9 to go straight to it, they do it overtime, like i said who in OZ even watches that stupid show, same with today tonight, 7evens obsession with going to today tonight right in the middle of a gripping tennis match at the OZ open.
dansa
Guest
Good test series, and well done to our boys for winning the last test. Some interesting thoughts from my side is that Australia missed either Siddle or Hilfenhause in the second SA innings of this test. Maybe not to bowl many overs, but to at least create pressure. Australia is in a good position though, with Starc looking like a great future prospect. The batting line up needs to settle and I'm not convinced about Warner as an opener, unless he can learn to balance aggression with control. For SA I think we need to get the number 6 batsmen sorted out. Faf looks good and maybe JP Duminy in the longer term. We need to develop a good quality spinner and Robby Peterson did much better than Tahir, he is very expensive though. Good luck Aussies against Sri Lanka
Evan Askew
Guest
Its a mainstream tv channel. What else would you expect from 9, 7 or 10?
Very satisfying win for SA here. We could have lost the second test was it not for Faf du Plessis, again we could have gone into our second innings with a defecit was it not for Faf du Plessis. Great performance by the Proteas this test, that takes us now to 6 years on the road without a series defeat, 8 series wins and 3 series draws. Very proud of the boys. Nice to see they showed respect to Ricky Ponting. Australia loses a great player today.
dasilva
Guest
The post match interview were mostly sporting cliche but I'll summarise it Clarke was willing to give away his man of the series in return for a test victory. Talks about how Australia has to recover from this defeat as we play Sri lanka next. He also gave a tribute to Ponting and he hopes that Australian Cricket will still used him in an official capacity to assist the development of Australian cricket and that despite his retirement, we could still be great used to this current team. Graham Smith - Mentions that Australia is the toughest place to win a series in Test cricket and he mention him remembering SA losing to Australia constantly in the 90's. He gave a tribute to Ricky ponting and say he is the toughest competitor he ever faced and mention he scored millions of runs against South Africa. Mark Taylor thanked him for the guard of honor and Smith says that Ponting deserved it. Taylor mention that there is no doubt that South AFrica are the number one side in the world as shown by the victories over England and Australia. He asked him which series was more sweeter, Smith joked he wanted to leave Australia unharmed, he has to say the victories over England was slightly more satisfying although he is proud of both series victory.
Red Baron
Guest
Thanks for that. Much appreciated!
Matt F
Roar Guru
I think that, in Pattinson, we have a spearhead but he needs to get his body right. No arguments about the batting though. Clarke and Hussey have carried us this series. We're 3 down for 100 or less every almost every innings, and have done so quite consistently for a long time
Matt F
Roar Guru
And they wonder why people watch shows online now.....
dasilva
Guest
Yeah I'm watching the Skysports streaming feed from the UK and they are showing the post game presentation Amla man of the match Clarke man of the series
Red Baron
Guest
Am utterly utterly disgusted with Channel 9. As an Australian I have to admit the respect shown by the South Africans today has been exemplary. You think Channel 9 would at least have a chat to Graham Smith in a post match interview instead of just going to Ponting and Clarke. The South Africans, being the match and series winners deserve it. Or at the very least, let the audience see the post game presentation. But no, we have to go straight to A Current Affair. Horrible.
ilone chetty
Guest
I think u right Australia could have cleaned South Africa up in 2nd test had it not been for Faf but good all round performence in the 3rd test by SA good to see AB finding some form and batting like a champ again.well done South Africa
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Australia will play three Tests, five ODIs and two T20Is against Sri Lanka, before a home ODI series against West Indies. All this will help building up towards another exciting Test match tour, that of India. Thank you for all your comments, it was a pleasure reading them! This is Suneer Chowdhary, signing off from here but will be hopefully back with more cricket soon.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
So that is the end of that, a very good series that was decided in the third Test match. Could have been a lot more interesting had the tracks not been so batting-friendly but that is how it is around the world in this day and age. Australia competed well in the first two Tests and could have easily been a couple of games ahead with a little more luck. Of course, South Africa made their own luck in the second game where they needed to bat a gazillion overs to draw at Adelaide and did just that. The third Test saw many a turning points that pushed the game in South Africa's favour but my favourite happened before the start of the game - in fact it was on the fifth day at Adelaide where Faf du Plessis stonewalled the Australian bowlers so well in hot conditions that they were spent. The second-string Australian bowling had a decent first innings but lacked the experience to bowl on a flat, second innings track. So South Africa retain their number one ranking while Australia will need to go back to their drawing boards before their next home series - against Sri Lanka starting next week.
Johnno
Guest
John Hastings let the side down badly. He relieved pressure overtime he took the ball. From the 1st innings new ball he took, he was woeful. Not as bad as Tahir, but very average indeed. Shane Watson is a much better bowler than Hastings. I can't see Hastings play test cricket again unless he improves his bowling. Clint Mckay was better than him